Red Light
by singitanyway13
Summary: It ain't the middle of the night. And it ain't even rainin' outside. Ain't exactly what I had in mind. Read "Walk the Line" and  "Dead Flowers" to understand this story.
1. Chapter 1

**Red Light**

* * *

><p>They scheduled an emergency therapy session with Dr. Robert Pace that afternoon. He was a nice older man with silver hair and blue eyes that were almost purple. He sat in his chair behind a desk while Reba and Brock sat chairs beside each other.<p>

"I'd like to start off," Dr. Pace began. "By saying that you two are not the first divorced couple to try and mend a broken down marriage. Thousands of couples do it every year."

"How many end up back together?" Brock asked.

"That's just a statistic. Focus on your love for one another and fixing things. That's all. I'm assuming you two are at that point where you're in love with one another."

"Oh, yeah," Brock said. "I love her. Very much."

Dr. Pace turned from Brock. "Reba?"

"Yes," She responded. "I...love him."

"Why the hesitation?"

"Because that's a big step for me."

"Is that the first time since you've gotten back together that you've said that?"

"No."

"Then why did you hesitate?"

"Because it just feels weird to say it out loud."

"Why does she feel that way, Doc?" Brock asked.

"I don't need him to decode my feelings," Reba snapped. "I know why I feel that way."

"Why do you?" Dr. Pace asked.

"Because we've been divorced for six years."

"That long?"

"Yes, and I'm just hesitant to be in a relationship with him again because he cheated on me."

"Then why are you here?"

"Because I want to fix things."

"Why do you want to fix things?"

"Because I love him!"

The room was quiet for a minute before Dr. Pace asked, "Not so hard to say now, is it?"

Reba put her head down. "No."

"That's what I thought. It's very hard to quit loving someone completely. Even after six years."

"Then what do we do to fix things?" Brock asked. "I mean, we both love each other, but I feel that she's having second thoughts."

"Can you expect someone to stay positive and trusting when there was infidelity in the relationship?"

"Yes, because I stayed with my second wife until she ran off."

"So you know what it's like?"

"Yes."

"You understand how Reba feels?"

"I do understand."

"Then tell her." Dr. Pace pointed to Reba. "Tell her, not me."

Brock turned to Reba who still had her head down.

"Reba," He began. "I know exactly how you feel and I am so sorry I cheated on you. I'll be sorry until the day I die. I just love you so much and it kills me to know that I hurt you so bad that you can't trust me. I'll do whatever it takes to make you believe I'm here to stay this time."

Reba blinked back tears, not really wanting to say the words that were on her mind. But she knew she had to set ground rules and make sure he understood where she was at.

"Please understand that your words have little meaning."

"I know they do," He told her. "But it's all I have. You won't let me show you."

"I'm scared to let you. I don't want to get hurt."

"You won't. I swear you'll never get hurt like that again."

"Please, Brock. Please keep your word 'cause I need you. I really, really need you."

He leaned over and gave her a hug as a few tears slipped down her cheeks.

"I know you need me. I need you too."

Dr. Pace nodded as the two continued to whisper and hug each other.

"Now we're getting somewhere."

* * *

><p>When the two got back to Reba's house after their emotional therapy session, they noticed Kyra's car in the driveway.<p>

"Her doctor's appointment was today," Reba said as she remembered her conversation with her daughter earlier that morning.

"Oh, yeah?" Brock turned off the motor but neither got out of the vehicle.

"I'm scared to go in and find out," Reba admitted as she played with her house keys, trying to bide her time until she had to go in.

Brock unbuckled his seat-belt. "I'll be right there. You don't have to handle this alone."

Reba took a deep breath and opened her car door just as Brock did. Her legs were weak as Brock grabbed her hand when they arrived at the door together. He squeezed once as if to say 'I'm right here' before Reba twisted the doorknob.

"Kyra!" Brock yelled as the two entered the house. The door shut almost silently.

The teenager appeared at the top of the stairs as Reba looked up.

"Well?" Brock asked.

Kyra folded her arms. "I'm not pregnant."

Reba closed her eyes and sighed. "Thank God."

Beginning her descent down the stairs, Kyra looked at her mother. "I appreciate all your support," She said in a bitter tone.

Reba opened her mouth to speak but Brock butted in. "Don't talk to her like that."

Kyra rolled her eyes. "Whatever. I have to go to band practice."

"You're going to go to band practice after all that happened today?" Reba asked as she turned to see her daughter head for the door.

Kyra stopped before she walked out the door and turned to face her mother. "Yeah, because my life goes on. When something gets me down, I don't sit and sulk about it like some people."

Then she left. But not without slamming the door. Reba winced as the wind from the swing hit her face. She heard Brock sigh as he put his hand on the small of her back.

"You helped every way you knew how," He told her, pulling her to his side.

She nodded, although not convinced. She was pretty concerned about her daughter and how she would react once her and Brock told the family about their plan to try to make their relationship work once more. If her reaction was anything like Reba thought it would, everyone should plan for World War III.

* * *

><p><em><strong>It's fifty-two minutes until midnight, so technically I got this posted today like I said I would. ;D<strong>_


	2. Chapter 2

Brock convinced Reba to go out to dinner with him that night. She hadn't really felt up to it, but finally relented after hearing him beg for an hour and a half.

"Aren't you glad you decided to go?" He asked her when they got sat down at their table. The restaurant Brock chose was an Italian place he thought Reba would love. Plus, he knew that she tended to go a little overboard with her wine at Italian eateries. He wanted to be able to talk to her without having to worry that she was guarding every word she spoke.

"I suppose."

She had dressed up a bit and Brock thought she looked beautiful. Her hair was the way she usually wore it, but she was wearing a bit more makeup than she usually would. Her blouse was fancier than normal, too. Brock loved that color blue on her.

"You look very nice tonight," He told her, picking up his menu.

She followed his movements, picking up her own menu. "Thanks. You're not lookin' bad yourself."

He smiled. "What did you think of therapy today?"

She gave a chuckle. "He's clever."

"I thought you'd bring that up. It was pretty amusing to see him trick you like that."

"He didn't trick me."

"Yes, he did."

"No. I planned things that way. He just followed the script in my head."

"Okay. Yeah."

He shook his head, looking down at his menu. He found it funny that she couldn't admit that the therapist had tricked her into admitting her reasons for being there. He gave the guy props. He had tried to trick her into saying what he wanted her to say on numerous occasions, but never could do it. She always caught on. She was always the one who tricked him.

"Do you want to go back?" He asked after a few moments of looking over their menus.

"Sure." She looked up. "Do you?"

"Of course. I think he can really help us."

"What do you think we need help with?" She set her menu down in front of her, clasping her hands over it and looking intently at Brock.

Brock did the same. "Is this a trick question?"

"No. I just want to be clear on what we're trying to 'fix.'"

"I really think we need to work on our communication."

Reba closed her eyes and shook her head. "It's so odd hearing you say that." She reopened her eyes. "But I agree."

Brock nodded. "I don't want to screw this up, Reba. Truly, I don't. I love you and if I were to lose you this time, I would probably literally die."

Reba gave a small smile. "I know, Brock, because I feel the same."

"That's step one."

"What?"

"Being on the same page."

* * *

><p>After dinner, Brock drove Reba back to her house. It had already gotten dark, so he walked her to the porch and stayed until she got the door unlocked.<p>

"Will you call me tomorrow?" She asked before going in.

He smiled. "How 'bout I come over instead?"

"Works for me."

He nodded. "I'll see you tomorrow." He turned to go, Reba heading inside herself before spinning around to see him going down the steps. "Wait."

He looked over his shoulder. "Yeah?"

"Do I not get goodnight kiss?"

He smiled and ran back up the steps, immediately wrapping his arms around her and placing his lips gently on hers. He felt her smile against his lips before she slowly pulled away, a small pop being heard as the kiss ended.

"I'll see you tomorrow," He told her again.

She nodded with a sparkle in her eye as she let him go this time.

She got inside the house and shut the door behind her, leaning against it and thinking about how lucky she was to be able to kiss him whenever she wanted again. It had been so long since she had been able to ask for a kiss and him actually do what she asked. It was simply beautiful.

* * *

><p>The next morning, Reba woke up and went downstairs like usual. Kyra wasn't in her room or the house for that matter, but that didn't surprise Reba. She wondered why her daughter had such an attitude lately.<p>

She walked into the kitchen, absentmindedly wondering if it was too early to call Brock. She didn't want to look desperate, but it was eight o'clock and she didn't know what time he planned on coming over. If it was to be soon, she'd have breakfast ready.

Pulling out her phone to check her voice mail, she decided that she would make homemade cinnamon rolls.

There were two voice mails in her inbox. One was from Jake and the other was from Barbra Jean. As she preheated the oven and got out her cookbook, she listened to the messages.

"Hey, Mom," Jake's voice said. She smiled when she realized there had to have been a great big grin on his face when he left the voice mail. "We're having a lot of fun here, but I wish you and Dad had stayed. Cheyenne said we'll be home Friday, so you only have to be alone for three more days. I love you. Bye."

Reba saved the voice mail before listening to the one from Barbra Jean.

"Hey, Reebs, it's me. Just wanted to let you know that we've set the wedding date for sometime in June. Call me when you get this so we can go over the details. Bye."

It was decided that Barbra Jean would be called back later, as the ingredients were set out and Reba got to work on her baking. She mixed the wet ingredients first, then the dry, then shaped them into the roll shapes to bake.

After she had gotten them in the oven and had started on loading the dishwasher, she heard the backdoor open and felt two arms go around her waist. It had been so long since Brock had done that, so she couldn't help but lean back and smile.

"Good morning," He greeted, looking down at her.

She looked up and he placed a kiss on her forehead before she turned around to hug him the right way. "So we're getting all touchy feely now?"

"Sure."

"That wasn't really a question."

"Whatever it was, I agree. I like touching you."

She wrinkled her nose, pushing him away from her. "You're weird."

He laughed, going over to sit down at the counter. "I've always been that way."

She nodded. "I remember."

"You used to like it."

"Who says I don't still like it?"

"Well, pushing a person away could send off a 'get away from me' vibe."

She rolled her eyes, turning to turn off the oven. "Well, the cinnamon rolls are done. I had to."

"You made cinnamon rolls?"

She nodded, slipping on an oven mitt and reaching in to grab the hot pan, pulling it out and turning around to get a face-full of flour.

She immediately closed her eyes and froze, hearing Brock's boyish chuckle. She set down the pan and opened her eyes to see him with an open bag of flour, another hand full of the stuff, ready to throw again.

"Don't you even think about-"

He threw it again, making it go down her shirt this time.

"I swear I didn't do that on purpose," He said, slowly getting up from his chair and backing away as she began to walk towards him.

"Liar."

He grinned when he realized she wasn't mad. "I didn't, but I'd be glad to clean it up for you." He wiggled his eyebrows before turning and running.

Reba sprinted after him, prepared to tackle him to the floor for getting her all flour-y.

"You really are a monkey's butt!" She shouted as he ran up the stairs.

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

He darted into her room and slammed the door, but she caught it before it could latch. He had crawled onto her bed, still holding the flour, to get away from her.

"If you spill that on my new quilt, you're dead."

Brock leaned over and tilted the bag just a bit, threatening to dump it everywhere.

"I'm warning you."

He tilted a little more, a mischievous smile forming on his lips.

"Don't you dare."

"Why don't you come and stop me?"

She cocked her eyebrow before jumping on the bed and ripping the bag from his hands. "You're an idiot."

"I know."

She rolled her eyes and prepared to stand when he caught her by the arm and took the flour away from her, setting it on the nightstand. She watched him intently, wondering what he was doing. Her eyes met his as he wiped the flour off of her face, his thumb rubbing the soft skin under her eye and right above her cheekbone before kissing the corner of her mouth. Her eyes fluttered closed and she sighed as he kissed her full on. She understood what he was trying to do as she felt herself falling back against the bed, but her nerves got the better of her. She placed her hands on his chest and pushed him back, breaking the kiss.

"Again?" He said in a low tone with an almost pouty face.

Their faces were still very close together. She could feel his breath on her lips. "I'm sorry."

He smiled and shook his head. "Don't worry about it." He kissed her forehead like he had done when he arrived. "I understand."

"Maybe if I didn't have so much time to think about it and we just did it..." She kept her head down but raised her eyes to look at him.

"There's nothing beautiful about 'just doing it.'"

She nodded with a small smile, raising her head just a bit. "When it finally does happen, will it be like it used to be?"

"The exact same."

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><p><strong><em>I hope you all liked this chapter. I have a feeling you'll like the next update. (;<em>**


	3. Chapter 3

The morning air blew softly around the two as they sat out on the front porch with their cinnamon rolls and coffee. It was a nice little scene, on that Reba had always imagined them playing out when all their kids were grown and moved out. The little wife and husband, sitting out on the porch in their rocking chairs, reading the paper and watching the birds flutter around. It wasn't exactly like she imagined it, but it was satisfying enough.

"It's kind of cool out here," Brock commented, scooting closer to Reba in the swing.

"I didn't really notice." She rubbed her arms. "But it kind of is."

Brock wrapped his arm around her. "Going to be getting colder here pretty soon."

"Yeah. I'll have to take Jake shopping for a new winter coat. He grew plumb out of his last one."

"That kid's just shooting up like a rocket."

"He wants to try out for football next week."

"Are you gonna let him?"

Reba shrugged, feeling Brock hold her tighter. "I might. I'm just concerned about him with his accident and all."

"We'll take him back to the doctor for a check-up to make sure it'll be okay."

Reba smiled at the fact he said 'we'll take him' instead of 'you take him.'

"Okay." She patted his knee. "I'm sure he'll be thrilled to know I'm considering it. I may have lost my mind when he first told me."

Brock chuckled. "So, what are you up to today?"

"Not a whole lot. I have to run a few errands. You?"

"I have some work at the office to take care of."

"I was hoping we could spend the day together..." She looked over at him with these pathetic puppy dog eyes and stuck out her bottom lip.

He just laughed. "We'll have tomorrow and the next day to be together before the kids get back."

She laughed with him for a moment before leaning into his embrace. "I guess you're right."

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Plus, if we get too busy before they come back, we do have the rest of our lives to spend together. I don't know about you, but that sounds better than just a few days."

* * *

><p>When Reba pulled into the driveway that evening, all she wanted to do was head up to bed. Her errands had taken longer than she thought, and earlier that afternoon, her boss somehow discovered she was back from vacation and called her in to work for a few hours. Reba, who was still trying to work her way up in the company, agreed and stayed for over two hours.<p>

She was still struggling to find the fine line that separated being a good person and a doormat.

_I won't take it for much longer, _she told herself as she gathered her purse and work papers.

She walked up to the porch and fumbled with her keys a moment before unlocking the door and walking in. She expected the living room to look like she left it: picked up and tidy. Instead, there were rose petals scattered about the floor, the lights turned down, candles placed here and there. All that accentuated the dining room table set for just two.

"Kyra, is that you?"

Reba looked towards the kitchen at the sound of Brock's voice. He soon appeared in the doorway.

"Oh," He said as he wiped his hands on a dishtowel. "I didn't want you to see this yet."

Reba set her stuff down on the couch. "What is all this?"

"It's all for you." He smiled before reaching back into the kitchen to retrieve two wineglasses.

"I get that, but I mean why?"

"You said you wanted romantic so here you go." He set the wineglasses down on the table and flipped the dishtowel onto his shoulder. "I even cooked."

"You cooked? You never cook."

"I figured I'd try it." He walked over to the spot she hadn't moved from. "What's wrong? Do you not like it?"

"No, I do love it. It's just unexpected."

"Most good things in life are. Like us."

All through dinner, the two talked about what it would be like when they finally told the kids and could be together like they used to. Reba appreciated everything Brock had done for her that night. He was being very sweet and that got her thinking about what else he had up his sleeve. But she let herself get caught up in him and focused on the words he said to her.

It wasn't long before she got caught up in the moment as well and said yes when he asked her to dance to the soft music that was playing.

He took her by the hand and placed one hand on the small of her back, easing her against his body.

"Do you remember the last time we danced like this?" He asked.

"Our wedding?"

They shared a laugh. "It's been a while, huh?"

She nodded, laying her head on his chest as they moved in slow circle. It had been so long since it had been just the two of them in a setting such as that. Reba felt so safe in his arms that she found herself saying, "We don't have to stay here."

She lifted her head off Brock's chest as she said it. She smiled at his face. "Really?"

"Way to ruin a moment." She reached up and hooked her arms around his neck, playing with his hair. "But yes."

"Are you sure? I don't want you to feel like you have to."

"Brock, I wouldn't have said anything if I didn't want to. Have you ever known me to be the type of person that could be pressured into doing something?"

He grinned and leaned down to kiss her. He didn't know if he should just let the moment develop itself or if he should just go right at it. It had been so long since he had been with her and he was worried that her tastes had changed.

Before long, she deepened the kiss and pressed herself tighter against him. She didn't want all the prolonged kissing and stuff that led up to the act itself. If it was going to happen, why not get right to it? She had always been that way so she figured why change now? Just because it had been a while didn't mean she had to alter what she had always done.

She wrapped her leg around one of his, trying to prompt him to pick her up.

He smiled when she did that, finding that her tastes hadn't changed. He ran his hands down her back to her thighs where he gripped them, waiting for her to jump a bit. When she did, he lifted and she wrapped her legs around his waist.

He went to lay her down on the couch but she shook her head, breaking the kiss momentarily.

"Bedroom," She told him, coiling around him tighter.

He sped up the stairs, bursting into her room and laying her on her bed before crawling on top of her, breaking the kiss once more and looking down at her. He moved her hair out of her eye before running his hand up her side.

"Are you sure about this?" He whispered.

"I'm positive, Brock. Stop askin' questions and do it already."

"You sure have a way with words," He said with a teasing tone, kissing her neck.

She chuckled as he nipped at her collarbone. "I know I do. You have a way with other things, however." She grasped the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head, letting it drop to the floor.

He shivered as the cold air hit his back, then again when she ran her hands over his chest.

Moments later, when clothes were no longer in play, they realized what they had been missing not only for the years they had been divorced, but the last few years of their marriage: unconditional love.

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><p><strong><em>This was really awkward for me to write, but I hope it was okay. I didn't want it to be too sappy, but I wanted it to be kind of sweet. I hope I achieved that. Review and tell me what you think! (:<em>**


	4. Chapter 4

Reba woke up in the middle of the night after feeling like she had slept for years. Turning to her left, she saw Brock sleeping on his stomach, one arm over his head, the other wrapped protectively around Reba's middle. She gave a sleepy smile and rolled over on her side, causing him to stir. She stilled her motions, but he woke up anyway.

"Hey," He said, sleepily.

"I didn't mean to wake you."

He shrugged, turning to face her. "Why wouldn't I want to be awake with you?"

"I was afraid you'd want to stay up if you know what I mean."

He grabbed her and pulled her on top of him. "Don't you want to?"

She lay down on his chest. "I'm tired..."

He placed his hands on her cheeks and lifted her head, bringing her into a sweet kiss. She couldn't help but smile and lifted herself off his chest.

"That's not fair," She said in between kisses.

"What's not fair?"

"You pressuring me."

He stopped kissing her, grabbing her wrists and holding them to his chest. "Reba. Do you look like the kind of person that could be pressured into doing something?"

"Don't use my words against me."

"I already did."

Reba rolled her eyes. "You're so immature sometimes."

"I know." He moved her hands off his chest so that she had nothing to lean against. Her lips landed on his as she sort of fell against him.

As the connection was made, Reba sighed. "This is fine and dandy, but we play by my rules tomorrow."

Brock chuckled, grabbing her hips. "Whatever you say."

Just as soon as they had started moving, Reba stopped. "Wait. What about all that stuff downstairs? Kyra's gonna see it when she gets home."

Brock sat up and switched their positions and shook his head. "She's out of town on some gig."

When he got things going again, Reba rolled her eyes once more. "I thought you said no more out of town gigs."

Brock smiled as she gasped at the end of the sentence before answering. "I did, but I had to let her go this time."

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Reba closed her eyes. "Well, for once, I'm glad you did."

* * *

><p>The sound of a door opening and closing woke Reba from her sleep. When she opened her eyes, it was still dark outside. She noticed Brock wasn't in bed so she sat up, holding a sheet to her chest.<p>

"Brock?" She called, thinking he may be in the bathroom.

No response made Reba climb out of bed and put her robe on to go check downstairs. She knew Brock liked to get up early to go run, but it was three in the morning.

Making her way downstairs, Reba noticed all the candles and flowers from earlier that night still in the same spot they were left in. However, the person sitting on the couch was different.

"Brock, why aren't you in bed?" She stepped off the last step, walking to the couch.

"Because I'm not Brock."

Reba jumped, not expecting to hear her daughter's voice. She hugged her arms to her chest as she realized that Kyra had seen everything that was downstairs.

"Wh-what are you doing back, sweetie?" Reba asked, trying to stay calm. "I thought you had an out of town gig."

"It got canceled. Nobody bothered to let us know until we pulled into the venue."

"Ah. Well, I bet you're tired, so why don't you get on to bed and we can talk in the morning."

"Yeah, Mom, you're right. I am tired." Kyra stood up and turned on the overhead light. "I'm tired of everyone thinking I'm blind."

"What?"

"You and Dad are back together, aren't you?"

"Kyra-"

"Don't make excuses, Mom."

"Kyra, I'm not going to allow you to talk to me that way. Whether you're mad at me or not, I'm still your mother."

"I'll bet you're even sleeping with him."

Reba's eyes went wide. "That's none of your business!"

"Yes, it is. It's everyone's business. I could kind of see where this could happen. I mean, everyone knew it would happen eventually, but seriously? I thought it would take years of Dad proving to you he would stick around this time. You caved so quick."

"What's going on between your Dad and I has nothing to do with you. It's about us-"

"What you do affects this whole family! Dad's going to get fed up and leave again, and we'll be left to console you. I'm so sick of living in a damn soap opera!"

"Then I think it's high time you started living your own life, then."

Reba's voice shook as she said the words, and immediately regretted them. She had always taught her children to never speak out of anger, and there she was, doing it herself.

"Maybe I should. I'll be out by Saturday." She walked to the door, flung it open, then walked out with the door swinging shut behind her.

* * *

><p>Reba paced the kitchen after having pretty much just kicked her daughter out of the house that she had lived in since she was five. Reba remembered what it was like to live on her own, and her heart ached for her daughter. She went to sit down at the counter and put her head in her hands.<p>

"God, what am I supposed to do? This was supposed to bring our family together, not tear it apart."

She heard the backdoor open and lifted her head, hoping it was Kyra coming back. But it was Brock.

"Hey."

"She knows."

He nodded, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. She came home when I was down here looking for a snack."

"I kicked her out."

Brock's eyes went wide. "What?"

Reba nodded. "I told her that maybe it was time she started living her own life since she said she was so tired of living in a soap opera."

Brock shuffled towards her to sit down next to her. "Was it bad?"

"She seemed to have been waiting for me to say it. She practically sprinted towards the door." Reba looked at him and his white undershirt and red boxers. "Your shirt's on backwards."

Brock looked down and shrugged. He knew she was trying to keep the conversation light, but he was concerned that she was taking everything too hard.

"She had to find out sooner or later," He told her, placing his hand on her leg. "Better sooner than later."

Reba patted his hand. "I guess so. But what if she doesn't come back, Brock? What if she thinks I don't want her around?"

"Things usually work themselves out around here, don't they? Don't stress. Whatever's going to happen is gonna happen, so don't worry about it. In the meantime, let's focus on us."

Brock was not about to abandon her when she needed him. He had done that once before, and he couldn't bear to do it again.

* * *

><p><strong><em>I hope this wasn't too terribly boring... Review? (:<em>**


	5. Chapter 5

Brock made his way into Reba's kitchen on Friday night. The kids had gotten back from their trip just hours before, and Reba had thought it would be a good idea to have them over for dinner to break the news that they were back together to them.

"Hey," He said as he closed the door gently.

Reba looked over from her place at the stove. She smiled as she stirred whatever she was cooking. "Hey. What are you doing here so early?"

"You said seven."

"It's six thirty."

He smiled, going up behind her to wrap his arms around her waist. "I figured I'd come over and help." He bumped his hips against her backside and she glanced over her shoulder.

"Watch yourself, buddy. The kids are in the next room. Let's not have them find out how Kyra did."

Brock rolled his eyes and ran his hands up her sides, placing his lips on the side of her neck. "Do you realize how hard it is not to bend you over the counter and-"

"Hey, Mom!"

Cheyenne's voice made Brock step away from his...girlfriend? He had never thought of what he should call her. Up until now, she was either the ex-wife or the best friend. He'd have to discuss it with her.

"Yeah, honey?" Reba asked smoothly, not even turning around.

"Is dinner almost done? Van's getting anxious."

* * *

><p>As the family ate the dinner Reba had prepared, Brock began to get nervous. He sat next to Reba throughout the dinner and when everybody finally finished their meal and sat back in their seats to wait for dessert, Reba reached under the table and grasped Brock's hand.<p>

"Hey, where's Kyra, Mom?" Jake asked suddenly.

"Yeah," Cheyenne said. "I just now realized she's not here."

"Kyra," Reba began. "Is moving out and will probably won't have family dinners with us for a while..."

"Why not?" Jake asked.

"Well, that's kind of the whole point of this little get together. Me and your dad wanted to tell you kids something."

"Are we moving?" Van asked.

"We don't live here anymore, Van," Cheyenne said, turning to him. "Nobody's moving." She looked at her mom. "Right?"

"Except maybe me," Brock said.

"What's going on?" Jake asked, looking around at his family.

"Me and your dad are getting back together."

The two squeezed each other's hands under the table tighter than ever, as if their grip could prevent anybody from blowing up.

The silence was unbearable for the five seconds it lasted.

"This is old news," Van said, getting seconds from the platters on the table.

"What?" Reba and Brock said together.

"We already knew this back in Missouri," Cheyenne said with a smirk. "Remember the ring?"

"We weren't together, then," Brock said. "We got back together the day we left."

"Still," Jake said. "It was obvious. You guys still think we're like blind mice or something."

"So, you guys aren't mad?" Reba asked.

"No." Cheyenne shrugged. "It's odd, but if you guys are happy..."

"We are," Brock told his daughter. "For the first time in a long time." He turned to Reba who's red face was beginning to go back to normal now that the big announcement was made. "I love your mom."

"Aww..." Cheyenne cooed, turning to Van and slightly shoving him. "Why can't you be that cute?"

"My cuteness radiates throughout me," He explained. "I don't have to sound like a greeting card to be cute." But he smiled when he said it, and everyone knew he was just teasing.

"I really do love her," Brock said again. "I'm not letting her go this time." He leaned over and placed a soft kiss upon her lips.

"Okay," Cheyenne said, looking away. "We don't need any of that. Children in the room."

Brock pulled away, still holding onto her hand and chuckling at her blushing.

"Wow," Jake said. "That's the first time I've ever seen them kiss."

Everyone looked toward the teenage boy, thinking he was crazy, but Reba understood. By the time Jake was old enough to remember and understand things, her relationship with Brock was so horrible that showing of affection was rarely displayed, if ever. It broke her heart to hear her son utter the words he just did, but happy that he could finally see the feelings they had felt for each other for so many years.

* * *

><p>Later that evening, after the dishes were cleaned and put away and Van, Cheyenne, and Elizabeth had gone home, Reba and Brock went to sit out on the front porch. They occupied the swing together, Brock's arm around Reba's shoulders. She leaned into him as they swayed with the wind.<p>

"Kind of chilly tonight," Brock commented.

Reba nodded, thinking.

"You're kind of quiet," He told her, rubbing her arm. "You okay?"

"Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Something Cheyenne said at dinner. About the ring."

"What about it?"

"I was wondering if you still had it."

Brock chuckled, reaching into his pack pocket to pull out his wallet. "I keep it in here." He pulled the ring from his walled and held it up.

Reba took it from him, admiring it. "It really is pretty."

"Just like you."

Reba rolled her eyes with a smile. "Don't get all mushy on me." She sighed before looking up at him. "Would it be okay if I wore it?"

"I would be honored if you'd wear it."

He took it from her as she held out her hand for him to slip it on her left hand ring finger, letting out a deep breath. "I've wanted to do that for so long."

She held up her hand, staring at the small diamond. "I've missed wearing your ring."

They resumed their original position with his arm around her. "You don't have to miss it anymore."

She brought her feet up to the swing, curling up next to him. "I sure do love you."

He smiled. He missed the way she talked when she was tired. It was so sweet. "I love you, too."

Kissing the top of her head, he allowed the conversation to die down, content to just be in her presence and hold her. If this was what Heaven was like, he knew why everyone wanted to get there. It was absolutely wonderful.

* * *

><p><strong><em>If I were to not clarify, it would be assumed that this was the end of the storyseries, but it is not. Trust me, there's a lot more to go. Thanks for reviewing! (:_**


	6. Chapter 6

Six months flew by and before anyone knew it, spring was in the air. Cheyenne gave birth to her baby, a sweet little boy who they named Kasey, at the first of the year. Jake ended up making the football team and was ecstatic to see both his parents at every game. There was little contact with Kyra. Reba managed to find out that she was in Dallas with some of her band-mates, but that was all the information she could get out of her daughter. Brock, too, was concerned, but managed to help Reba hold it all together. Which was why she asked him to move in shortly after Kasey was born.

There were things in Reba's life that could have been better, such as all her children still being around, but she was thankful for every beautiful piece of her life God gave her.

One afternoon, Reba was busy folding laundry in the living room when Brock came home.

"Hey, honey."

Reba smiled at the name he chose to call her. She sure missed hearing him say that.

Turning, she plowed right into his kiss. She was startled for a moment, but soon gave in and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Good day?" She mumbled against his lips.

"Great day."

They pulled away and Brock began to help her fold laundry. He hadn't even taken his jacket off yet. He seemed happy to help her just as fast as he could.

"What's with you?" Reba asked, watching him in awe. She had never seen him help her with the laundry. His part with the laundry was always dirtying it up, not folding it. It was an odd thing to witness, but she wasn't complaining.

"What?" He asked.

"You're folding laundry..."

He shrugged. "I was going to make dinner, too."

She raised an eyebrow. "What do you want?"

"Can't a guy help his special girl out once in a while?"

"I guess, but it just seems sinister. Like you have an ulterior motive."

He raised his hands in surrender. "I swear that I have nothing to hide. I just want to help."

She shrugged and began helping him fold. After a moment, she said, "If you were serious about starting dinner, the chicken needs to thaw."

He stood with a nod and made his way into the kitchen.

"Hey, did I tell you?" He said from the kitchen.

"Hmm?"

"Henry wants to come visit. Barbra Jean called me today and said he was really excited about it."

Brock set the chicken out on the counter. Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a stack of mail. Going to it, he picked it up and began to thumb through it. Bills, some magazine subscription of Reba's, Publisher's Clearing House, the normal mail stuff. But when he reached the end of the stack, there was an envelope with his name written across the front. No address, no stamp. It looked like an invitation or something of the sort.

"Hey, who's this card from?" He asked.

He got no response and figured Reba had gone upstairs to put the laundry away, so he turned it over and ripped the envelope.

He pulled out a small card-type thing and opened it to reveal a sonogram picture. He was a bit confused, but in the back of his mind, he realized what was going on. Below the photo, there was a handwritten note.

_See you in nine months, Daddy._

He looked up to see Reba peeking around the corner.

"Please tell me you're not mad."

Brock walked towards her, sonogram in hand, and enveloped her in a hug.

"How on earth could I possibly be mad?"

She backed up a bit and stared at his blue eyes. "We didn't plan this. We're not married, we're not young anymore."

Brock caressed the side of her face. "None of that matters. Are you happy?"

She nodded. "I am."

"Then I am, too." He smiled then began to laugh.

"What's wrong with you?"

He scooped her up in his arms. "You're gonna get so fat!"

"Hey!"

He kissed her to silence her cries. "Don't worry. You're cute when you're pregnant."

"Well, thanks. Where are you taking me?"

"Where do you think?"

He pounded up the stairs and slammed the bedroom door, prepared to love her all night long.

* * *

><p><strong><em>Yes, this was really short, but I didn't want to add another part to this one simply because it needs to be appreciated on its own. ;D I hope none of you saw this coming! It's cliche, yes, but still. It'll alllll come together. Oh, and it's never occurred to me to say this before, but thank you to my silent readers! The ones who don't review. I'm a silent reader most of the time, so I know you're out there. Thank you to everyone who reads. (:<em>**


	7. Chapter 7

"So, how are things in the Hart household?"

Dr. Robert Pace sat in front of Brock and Reba for their weekly therapy session, ready to listen to whatever they had to say. They had been seeing him for almost a year and he was actually very thrilled at the progress they had made.

"Good," Brock said.

"How's the baby?"

Reba had a gentle hand over her stomach. It was just something that happened. She didn't mean for it to, but it was as if she couldn't pull her hand away. She had gained a bit of weight and her middle was a little thicker, but you couldn't tell that she was with child.

"Doin' just fine," She assured the older man. "Seven more months until we finally get to meet her."

"Or him," Brock interjected. He looked at the doctor with a smile. "I know it's going to be a boy."

"Oh, it is not."

Brock rolled his eyes, pointing to Reba with his thumb. "This one thinks she can tell, but I think that it'll be a boy since we already have two girls. That's just how things work."

Dr. Pace chuckled. "Whatever it is, I'm sure it'll be a wonderfully, healthy baby." He got out his legal pad. "So, what's been going on?"

"Well, Henry is going to be coming for a visit," Brock said.

"Oh? When is this?"

"This week. I'm flying up to get him this afternoon"

Dr. Pace nodded, writing down Brock's words. "And Henry's your son, correct?"

"Yes. He's really excited about it, too. I haven't seen him in a few months."

Dr. Pace noticed Reba kind of looking down and playing with a stray string on her jeans, not really contributing to the conversation.

"Reba?"

She looked up. "Yes?"

"How do you feel about Henry visiting?"

"I'm okay with it."

"Just okay?"

"I thought you were excited," Brock spoke up, turning to her.

She shrugged. "I am."

"You don't seem like it."

"I guess I'm just worried about what he'll think."

"About what?" Dr. Pace asked. "The baby?"

"That, and the fact that Brock and I are together now. I don't want him to look at me as the other woman."

"But you're not," Brock said.

"I still feel that I am." She sighed. "Like any kid, he wants his parents to be together. What if he gets jealous of mine and Brock's kids and starts acting out or something?"

"He's five," Brock said. "He doesn't understand that sort of thing. All he knows is that he's coming here to have fun."

"He'll realize it when he gets older if we're still together."

"If we're still together?"

"I didn't mean it like that."

"Then how did you mean it?"

"Okay, okay." Dr. Pace held up a hand before a fight could break out. "Let's not get out of hand. Reba's obviously worried about the way she's looked at, so, Brock, why not explain to Henry that you and her are together now, just the two of you. Talk to him about it over the phone or on the way home from the airport. Explain it to him in a way that he can understand."

Brock nodded. "I just want us all to be happy, you know? I realize I have two families, but what I don't understand is why they can never run smoothly."

"Do you hear yourself?" Reba asked. "You're with me now. Why are you still worried about making things run smoothly with Barbra Jean? You never talk to her."

"She pretty much controls when I see Henry. Why would I want to set her off?"

"I don't know. It just bothers me."

"Well, you know what bothers me? The fact that your makeup always ends up on my side of the bathroom counter."

"That is irrelevant in this conversation."

"No, it isn't. We're talking about things that bother us." He turned to Dr. Pace. "Right, Doc?"

"I suppose," The therapist responded.

"That's what I thought. Couldn't you just keep all your stuff in that little box I bought you?"

"You're comparing your visitation rights to makeup?"

"Yes."

Reba rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair, arms folded. "Could you grow up for once? You've never brought this up until now, when you're mad."

"Why start an argument?"

"Oh! So you only want to talk about those kinds of things when I'm already mad? Brock, if you have a problem, you don't have to wait until therapy to tell me!"

"I could say the same thing about you! You never told me about your feelings about Henry until just now!"

"I didn't know how to tell you, and for your information, I was trying to think of a way to let you know."

"When were you planning on telling me? When I walked in the house with him?"

"I don't know."

"Seems like you both need to work on your communication skills," Dr. Pace told them. "After not being able to communicate correctly for almost ten years, your skills need some brushing up, don't you agree?"

"I guess," Brock said, looking towards Reba. "Do you?"

"My communication skills are just fine," She said. "It's you who has always had the problem."

"Let's not point fingers," Dr. Pace said. "You both are at fault or only one of you would be in therapy. Just try to be understanding towards one another. This relationship is progressing rather quickly, with the baby and such, so why not slow down and focus on what a beautiful life you've created in the past twenty plus years and slowly start to rebuild your communication back up. It's worth a try."


	8. Chapter 8

"You're sure you don't want to come with me?"

Reba rolled her eyes for the thousandth time as Brock adjusted his carry-on bag that was hanging on his shoulder just outside the airport. They were both standing beside Reba's car in the drop-off zone and Brock just wasn't ready to leave Reba alone.

"Brock," She said. "I am exhausted and the last thing I want to do is spend nine hours in an airport full of loud people. Okay?"

Brock put out his bottom lip as she folded her arms. "But I hate flying alone."

"You'll have Henry."

"Not until tomorrow."

"You'll be fine."

"But I want you to come."

"I didn't even bring anything to wear tomorrow or the next day."

"That's fine. We'll get you something there."

Reba leaned forward and gave Brock a kiss to silence him. He grabbed her face and sighed as they pulled away.

"Just promise you'll call me?"

"I will," She told him. "Tonight." She brushed his hair away from his forehead with the tips of her fingers. "And when you get back, go get a haircut."

He laughed. "You don't like my hair long?" He rain his hand through his blonde hair and watched her shake her head with a disgusted look on her face.

"You look like you're stuck in the seventies."

"Ah, the seventies. I remember those years."

She grabbed her hands in his. "Stop wasting time. You'll miss your flight."

He pulled her to him and they wrapped each other in a hug.

"All joking aside," He said into her hair. "I'll miss you."

"It's only three days."

"I'll still miss you." He pulled away and gave her a kiss. "Won't you miss me, too?"

"Oh, I guess." She smiled. "Be safe."

"I will." He gave her one last kiss before he broke away from the hug and began to check his pockets. Making sure he had his phone and whatever else he'd need. That's when he looked up with a surprised face. "Oh! Almost forgot."

"Forgot what?"

He put his arm around her and leaned down to kiss her belly.

"What in the world are you doing?" She asked him.

He looked up. "Saying goodbye to the baby." He turned his attention to her midsection once more. "Bye-bye, Baby. You be good to Mommy while Daddy's gone." He put his ear to the spot he had spoken at and said, "Think he can hear me?"

"Nope."

"Well, I think he understands all the same." He kissed her belly once more before standing. "Alright. Now I can go."

Reba shook her head. "You're crazy."

"What? They say you should talk to the baby while it's in the womb. Helps 'em grow and whatever."

"You've been reading the pamphlets, haven't you?" He nodded as she said, "You're supposed to talk to them when their ears develop. At sixteen weeks."

"Oh. You're at what? Eight weeks. Nine?"

"Yes. The ears are _starting_ to form now, so you were sort of right."

"'Course I was. I'm a doctor."

Reba rolled her eyes with a smile. "Get out of here before you miss your flight."

"Alright, alright. I'm going. I'll see you in three days. I love you."

"I love you, too."

* * *

><p>Reba eyeballed her son as he sunk down into the couch beside her the next day. He was rarely home on weekends and for him to come sit on the couch while the television was off wasn't like him.<p>

"What's up with you?" Reba asked, setting her book on her lap.

He shrugged and picked up a magazine from the coffee table. "Nothing."

"Do you usually read Southern Living?"

He flipped through the pages. "Maybe I want to be an interior designer when I grow up and I'm preparing for my future."

"Or maybe," Reba said, pulling her legs up to the couch and facing him. "You want something."

He shrugged, stopping on a page with an ad about cat litter. "I don't know."

Reba shoved his shoulder playfully. "What do you want? Is there a party you want to go to or do you want to stay out past your curfew? What?"

When he didn't respond, Reba tilted her head to the side. "Jake..."

He sighed. "I usually talk to Dad about these things." He glanced at her. "But he's not here."

"Well, what is it?"

"It's kind of awkward talking to you about it, 'cause you're a girl." He turned his attention back to the magazine and started flipping through it again.

"It's awkward because I'm a woman?"

He nodded and Reba bit her lip. "Is it about a girl you like?"

He shook his head.

"Okay. Are you going to make me guess or are you going to tell me?"

He shrugged as he got to the end of the magazine. Quickly, he picked up another.

"Well, Jake," Reba said dog-earing her book and placing it on the arm of the couch. "I can't help you if you don't tell me what it is you need to know."

He sighed. "It's about the baby..."

"Okay. What do you want to know?"

"I've always wondered about that whole thing."

"About babies?"

He nodded. "Dad's told me a little, but not really a whole lot. I was just curious..."

Reba smiled at how nervous he was. "It's okay to be curious, Jake."

"Okay."

"Alright. So what did you want to know specifically?"

"I don't know. Like, how it can breathe in there and how does it know when to come out?"

She didn't want to be graphic with him because she knew it would just make him feel much more awkward, so she just told him in the simplest way she knew how. Then when Brock got back home, she'd let him explain further.

"Well, God made it to where the baby could breathe in there and He just lets it know when to come out."

Jake looked up at her as if to say, 'I'm not five.'

She sighed. "I'm just trying to make this easy on you. I know it was hard to come and ask me."

"I'll just ask Dad when he gets back."

Reba patted his knee. "Alright. Sorry I couldn't be the Dad for ya." She smiled, showing him it was a joke, but his eyes turned serious.

"You always were."

"What do you mean?"

"When Dad left. You had to be the mom and the dad."

"Oh, Jake, your dad was always here for you."

"Maybe not completely. Not in all the ways he should have been."

Reba sighed, taking his hand and squeezing it. "He knows he's messed up. But he's trying to make it better now. We all make mistakes, even moms and dads."

"Why don't you guys get married?"

Reba laughed. "Jake, we're still trying to work out our relationship. We can't just get married. What if-"

Jake nodded. "Exactly. What if it doesn't work out."

"No, that's not what I meant. It will work out. We're going to make sure of it, and you don't have to worry about a thing."

"Then why not get married?"

Reba smiled her sideways grin. "Why are you so infatuated with me and your dad getting married?"

He shrugged. "I just want don't want to be the only kid who doesn't remember his parents being married. I want to have those kinds of memories."

Reba looked at her son, and once again, her heart broke for him. She leaned over and enveloped him in a hug just like the ones she'd give him

on nights when he was younger when he needed comforting after waking from a nightmare, screaming for his dad who wasn't there.

"Jake, I'm sorry I couldn't give you those memories."

He nodded. "It's okay."

"No, it's not, and your dad will tell you the same." She pulled away and looked at him. "But we're working on things, okay? Give it a little time. Who knows what could happen in the future."

"Okay." He stood to go but before he walked away, he asked, "This time around, does he make you happy?"

Reba smiled sadly, thinking of all the years her and Brock missed out on because of their constant fighting. "He's always made me happy, Jake. Don't ever think he didn't."

* * *

><p><em><strong>Thanks for all the reviews! You guys are great. ((:<strong>_


	9. Chapter 9

Reba stood on her tiptoes, trying to see if she could spot Brock among the large group of people coming off the flight from Little Rock. Finally, she spotted a man holding a little boy on his shoulders. She waved her hand until she saw Brock point and Henry smile. Before she knew it, she was kissing Brock.

"I missed you," She said when they pulled away.

"I can see that." He smiled and lifted his son off his shoulders. The little boy held out his hands and Reba took him.

"Hey, bud!" She swung him around and listened to him giggle. "How are you?"

"Fine." He held onto her by wrapping his legs around her waist and his arms around her neck. His smile just melted Reba's heart. She couldn't wait to have another little one.

Brock ruffled Henry's hair and turned to Reba. "How's the bun?"

"Still in the oven."

He chuckled. "Hear that Henry? Reba's got a baby in her tummy."

Henry looked at his father with his jaw dropped. He looked down at Reba's stomach then looked back up, eyes wide. "How'd it get in there?"

Reba and Brock both laughed as Reba set him down on the ground. Brock grabbed his hand and the suitcase before saying, "Lesson for another time, son. Lesson for another time."

* * *

><p>That evening, the family went out to dinner to a restaurant Henry chose before going for ice cream. By the time they got home, Henry had already crashed in the backseat, causing Brock to carry him inside. Jake retreated to bed as well, and Reba told Brock she'd meet him in their room, intending to hit the hay as well. However, when she got in there and closed the door, she had another idea. She turned on the bedside lamp before turning off the overhead light. She shed all her clothes and lay on the bed, waiting for Brock to come in.<p>

A few minutes later, she heard him shuffling quietly down the hall, coming from Cheyenne's old room. She readjusted herself and tried to keep a straight face. She hadn't done something like this since before Kyra was born.

When the door opened and Brock walked in, his eyes went wide and he grinned. "What are you doing?"

"Shut the door!"

He did so and began to take his jacket off. "Just thought you'd get naked?"

"Oh, you know me. Can't keep my clothes on for nothing." She sat up on her elbows with a pouty look. "Does it bother you?"

"You have to ask?" He pulled his shirt off and tossed it at her. "You always used to look good in my shirt." He unzipped his pants. "But you always looked even better in nothing."

She leaned back and let him crawl on top of her, sighing as she felt him move her leg to his waist. She closed her eyes as the connection was made, stifling a moan.

"He's asleep," Brock told her, biting her neck.

"What's your point?" She asked, her breathing becoming labored.

"You don't have to be quiet. He's not going to wake up."

She threw her head back, giving him better access and let out a small groan.

"There ya go." Brock chuckled. "I take pride in that."

"Shut up. Your big ego isn't attractive anymore."

"You used to like it."

She didn't respond, not really feeling like continuing the conversation. Instead, she listened to his heavy breathing and thought about how he made her feel. He literally made her feel like she was floating on air. Like there was nothing in the world she had to worry about.

As his movements got a bit faster, her senses became a bit more alert. She was gasping a bit more now and as soon as the explosion happened, she arched her back and let out a sigh that was much louder than she intended it to be.

At the height of it all, she heard a squeak and her eyes fluttered open only to connect with Henry's as he peered into the bedroom through the open door. Just as soon as Reba saw him, he disappeared and the door shut.

"Oh, my God."

Above her, Brock smiled. "That's right."

"No...not that...Henry...door..." She tried to form sentences that made sense but the waves that traveled through her prevented that.

As Brock finished and rolled beside her, he asked, "What were you trying to say?"

She tried to control her breathing as she said, "Henry saw us."

Brock's chest was still heaving up and down when he said, "Do what?"

Reba crawled under the covers and put her head under her pillow. "He saw us. While we were...you know."

Brock put his face near hers because her voice was muffled. "How do you know?"

"I saw him watching."

Brock shrugged. "Okay."

As he adjusted himself in the bed and pulled back the covers, Reba sat up. "Excuse me?"

"What?"

"You're not going to do anything about it?"

"What do you want me to do?"

"Go talk to him or something." She lay down on her pillow and sighed. "He's probably scarred for life."

Brock scoffed but swung his legs over the side of the bed and grabbed a pair of sweatpants from the chair in the corner, pulling them on. "What do you want me to tell him? Hey, Henry, what you just saw? _That's_ how the baby got in Reba's tummy."

"I don't care what you tell him, just as long as he doesn't go off telling people about it. You know how kids like to talk about stuff they don't have any business talking about. Our sex life is one of those things."

He slipped a shirt on and went for the door. "I'll think of something. Don't you worry about a thing."

Reba detected a hint of sarcasm in his voice as he shut the door. She figured he was just embarrassed and didn't want to admit it. Reba just closed her eyes and rested until he got back in the room a few minutes later.

"Did you talk to him?" She asked as he got into bed.

He shut the lights off and pulled the covers over himself. "Yeah. He wasn't scarred for life or anything like that. I told him we were playing Twister."

"Of all the lies you could have told, that's the one you chose?"

Brock rolled over and faced her, grinning. "Well, I couldn't very well tell him the truth. It's nearly midnight. I'm not giving The Talk to a five-year-old at midnight. He wouldn't remember a thing by morning." He laid his arm over her side.

She scooted closer to him. "I guess you know best."

Brock kissed the top of her head. "Nah. You do."

"Good answer." She lifted her head and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. He tried to deepen it, but she pulled away. "Don't even try."

He pretended to pout, but moved his hand down to her leg, grasping it and pulling her hips to him. "You don't wanna go for round two?"

"Don't pretend like you could pull that off." She chuckled lightly. "You turn fifty next year, mister."

"If you really wanted to, I bet I could come up with something."

She shook her head. "We need to get to sleep. We have church in the morning."

He groaned. "Church? Do I have to go?"

"Well, yes. Go to sleep, Brock."

He sighed. "Fine. Goodnight."

There was a moment of silence before she whispered, "I love you."

He snuggled up closer to her, laying his hand over her belly where their baby was growing. "I love you, too."

* * *

><p><strong><em>Please review!<em>**


	10. Chapter 10

"Hey, whatcha doin'?"

Brock looked over his shoulder to see Reba walk into the kitchen just as he finished making a sandwich.

"Just makin' lunch." He tucked the end of the bread bag under itself and placed it back on top of the refrigerator before grabbing his sandwich and turning around.

"Whatcha havin'?"

"Turkey and cheese."

Reba opened the refrigerator and handed him a beer from the door. "Do you like it?"

He took a bite. "I've always eaten turkey and cheese sandwiches."

She shrugged and began to load the dishwasher. "It's a different brand."

"Tastes the same to me."

"It's cheaper."

He nodded. "Cheaper is good."

Reba didn't respond. She just kept loading the dishwasher. Brock noticed her silence and watched her for a moment before asking, "What are you thinking about?"

She looked up. "What?"

"I asked what you were thinking about." Brock noticed how attractive she looked in her church outfit. Her three-quarter-length sleeve, black blouse complimented her chest well, and her fitted black skirt clung to her hips, making him want to grab her there.

"Just thinking about what happened last night." She went back to her task.

He grinned. "That good, was it?"

When she looked back up, he winked, but she only narrowed her eyes.

"That's not what I meant."

Brock ate the last of his sandwich before folding his arms.

"What did you mean?"

"I mean that maybe you need to discuss it with Henry a little further so he's not so confused. He may be five, but he's not stupid. And even if he is, what if, in the near future, one of his friends breaks out a Twister mat and he strips down? He'll tell whoever that he got it from you. Then what?"

"Why do women like to break things down and analyze them until there's nothing left?"

"Brock, I'm serious. Just go talk to him. It's about time he learned about this kind of stuff anyway."

"I didn't get 'The Talk' until I was fifteen. I'm content with waiting ten more years."

Reba looked up at him. "You didn't know about sex until you were fifteen?"

"Yeah... How old were you?"

"Nine."

"I feel really inexperienced right now..."

"_Anyway_, I think you need to go talk to him."

Brock groaned. "But I don't know what to say. I've never given the talk before. Van got to Jake before I could, and you told the girls about it."

"Just be age appropriate. And remember to be mature about it."

"Will you come with me?"

Reba closed the dishwasher and switched it on. "Are you serious?"

Brock walked up to her and grabbed her by the hips like he had thought about doing a few minutes before. "Very serious. If you don't, you'll be in some big trouble."

Reba looked up at him with an _oh, really?_ expression on her face and placed her hands on his wrists. "Who retired and put you in charge?"

He chuckled and moved his hands to her backside, pulling her closer to him. "Doesn't matter. Just do what I say."

"What makes you think that you being bossy turns me on?"

"I just know that that's what works for me."

"Well, in that case, get your butt in the living room and talk to your son." She removed his hands from her body and gave a small laugh. "Then we'll talk about me being in trouble."

He followed her into the living room, pinching her backside just as she walked in. She gasped and turned her head, frowning as he came up behind her and kept them both walking. He just grinned and spotted Henry on the couch, watching some cartoon on the television. Brock went to sit in front of him on the coffee table while Reba sat beside Henry on the couch.

"Hey, bud." Brock switched the television off. "Think we can talk for just a minute?"

"About what?"

"About what you saw last night."

"You and Reba playing Twister?"

"Yeah. Well, we weren't exactly playing Twister."

"What were you doing?"

"Well, you see, Henry, when two people love each other a whole lot, like Reba and I do, they want to show each other how much they love the other one."

"How?"

"Well, they make love."

"How?"

Brock leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, hands clasped together. "Well, a boy has a...well, you know what you have. And a girl has a...oh, I can't say it." He stood up and walked behind the couch, running a hand through his hair.

Reba rolled her eyes and turned to Henry. "The boy goes in the girl. See, not that hard to say."

"When can I try it?"

"You can't," Brock said from behind the couch. "It's for adults only."

Henry turned his head to look at his father. "Is it fun?"

Brock laughed. "Is it fun? Yeah, it's fun. It's like-"

"Brock."

"I mean, no. No, it isn't fun. It's very un-fun and boring. So boring, that if I ever have to do it again-"

"He gets it."

Brock looked up to see Reba scowling at him and he shrugged to which she rolled her eyes.

"What your dad's trying to say," Reba continued. "Is that it's not wrong, but it's still not something you need to go talk to others about. What you saw last night, just keep it to yourself, alright?"

"Alright."

Reba smiled and patted the boy's knee. "Good. Now, go on upstairs. See if Jake'll let you play on his Gameboy."

Henry scooted off the couch and disappeared upstairs.

"That wasn't so hard," Brock said as Reba went into the kitchen. She didn't respond as Brock followed her. She just kept her mouth pressed into a thin line as she began to wipe down the counters with a sponge.

"I figured I'd get a big ol' 'I told you so.'" Brock sat at the counter and watched her clean. When she still didn't respond, he asked, "Is there something wrong?"

"Oh, you mean besides the fact that you told Henry sex wasn't fun?"

Brock narrowed his eyes. "What was I supposed to tell him?"

"That, but you didn't have to be so forceful about it. You made it seem like it was a chore or something."

"You told me to keep it kid-appropriate!"

"I know that! But it sounded like you believed what you said."

Brock's face held a bewildered expression. "What?"

"What if you really feel that way?"

"Reba, come on. You know that's not true. Why would you even think that?"

She stopped cleaning and looked up at him. "Darryl called me."

"Who?"

"Barbra Jean's fiance."

"What'd he call you for?"

"It was this morning before church when you were helping Henry get dressed and he told me that when you were in Arkansas, you kept hitting on Barbra Jean."

"You know that's not true."

"Yes."

"Then what's the problem?"

She sighed. "I just can't help but feel like I'm not doing enough."

"What do you mean?"

"It's almost like I've forgotten how to do a lot of things."

"Hey, I love it when we're together. Nothing's changed. Every time is always special."

"I don't mean just that. I mean about being a partner in life. It's been a long time since I've taken care of a man."

Brock folded his hands on the counter in front of him. "This is really weird."

"What?"

"Us actually discussing an issue without Dr. Pace. Or in general, for that matter. Any other time we'd either argue about it or not say anything and let it sit there and fester."

Reba nodded, tossing the sponge into the sink. "I know." She looked up. "But I kind of like knowing that you'll talk about it with me and I don't have to figure out a solution on my own."

"You know I love you very much." She nodded. "You're doing an amazing job at taking care of me, and I can only hope you think the same of me."

"You've always taken very good care of me, Brock."

"I hope so."

She walked around the counter and he scooted his chair back so she could sit on his lap. He smiled and buried his head in her neck as her arms went around him. He could never imagine messing up this time around by hitting on Barbra Jean. That part of his life was over and he was deliriously happy with Reba and the family he had created with her.

"You're the perfect partner," He told her, breathing in her scent. "I couldn't imagine having anyone else." He pulled away a bit and looked in her eyes. "And when we're together, babe, you rock my world."

She busted out laughing as he winked and she kissed him full on the mouth.

"Are you excited?" She mumbled against his lips.

He pulled away from their kiss with a small pop. "About what?"

"You get to come with me to my doctor's appointment tomorrow."

"Yay."

She got up off his lap and lightly slapped his shoulder. "Get over it. You're coming. Don't you want to see the baby?"

He grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him, placing his hand on her belly. "I made it. Why not just wait till it comes out to see it?"

"Correction. _We_ made it."

"I remember the occasion vividly."

"Anyway, you're coming with me. You'll get to hear her little heart beat and everything."

"His, you mean."

She rolled her eyes and he smiled. He loved to see her so excited. Truthfully, he couldn't wait to see their baby on that screen in the doctor's office. And he'd tell her that after they made love later on that night. She'd hold him close and tell him how happy she was that they were finally together and having the baby that she felt they would have had later on, had they stayed married. He'd agree and they'd fall asleep with dreams of what the future would hold.

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><p><em><strong>Sorry it's been so long! Hopefully, there won't be such a gap between chapters anymore! I hope you all liked this update. Review? (:<strong>_


	11. Chapter 11

After eight hours of long, hard labor, Reba finally got to hold her precious little baby in her arms. She pulled back the blanket, expecting to see her and Brock's new addition, but instead saw a tiny devil with horns. It reached out for her, crying _Mama!_ but before it could touch her, Reba woke up from her dream to a knock on her bedroom door.

She opened her eyes to a dark room. Brock was snoring loudly next to her and as she ran a hand over her stomach, she was relieved to learn that she was still pregnant.

The knocking on the door continued and Reba remembered locking it to prevent any peeping Toms. She threw the covers off of her and swung her legs over the side of the bed, going to the door. She opened it to see Henry standing there in his Power Rangers pajamas, sniffling.

Reba bent down and took his hand. "What's wrong, bud?" She asked softly.

"I had a bad dream." Reba noticed the tears that streaked down his face as she moonlight from her bedroom window hit it.

"Aw, I'm sorry, bud. I had a bad dream, too."

He looked up at her. "About what?"

"It doesn't matter." She took his hand and led him in the room. "Do you want to sleep in between me and your daddy for the rest of the night?"

He nodded and climbed into the bed, making Brock stir. Reba slid in next to Henry as Brock rolled over.

"What's going on?" He asked tiredly.

"Henry had a bad dream."

"Oh. You alright, bud?"

The five-year-old snuggled under the sheets. "Yeah."

Brock rolled towards his son, making him roll next to Reba. "Good thing you're here. I was just in the mood for a Henry burrito."

Henry giggled and Reba had to smile. She missed having the little ones climb in bed with her and Brock after a bad dream. Hopefully, the new baby would do the same when it grew up as well. It was one thing she remembered Cheyenne, Kyra, and Jake all doing at some point in their life and she really cherished those precious moments.

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><p>During the next few weeks, Reba and Brock began planning for the baby a little more. After Henry went back to Arkansas, the spare bedroom was decorated with a baby circus theme and a small get-together was planned for the family. Reba didn't want a big baby shower, but she thought a nice family gathering would be nice.<p>

On the day of the get-together, Reba decorated the living room with pink and blue streamers, excited to share the news of the baby's gender with everyone. Her belly had protruded a bit more in the weeks of planning for the arrival and it was evident she was with child.

At around six o'clock, after Van, Cheyenne, Kasey, and Elizabeth had arrived, Jake had come downstairs and Brock had come home, Reba was in the kitchen, placing the cake she had ordered on a platter so she could carry it into the living room easier.

"What are you doing?" Brock asked, walking in with his hands in his pockets. "Get away from the cake, Reba."

She looked up at him with an annoyed look. "I'm not going to eat it. Yet..."

He smiled and shook his head. "You excited to find out what the baby is?"

"Well, yeah! I can hardly wait!"

When they went to get an ultrasound done the week before, the technician pointed out that the baby had grown enough to tell what the gender was. Reba asked them to put the answer in an envelope to which she brought to the local bakery. She asked them to look at the envelope and make the inside of the cake either pink or blue, depending on what the baby was. When everyone cut into the cake, the answer would be revealed.

"Well, everybody else is getting antsy, too. Want to do it now?"

"You get the plates, I'll carry the cake."

She took off into the living room and Brock laughed as he grabbed the paper plates, trailing behind her.

"Okay, everybody!" She told her family. "Come here so we can all see when I cut the cake."

"Any bets as to what it is?" Van asked, hands in the air.

Reba gave him a look as Jake said, "I've got five bucks on a boy."

"We're not taking bets. It is what it is." Reba held up a cake server. "Ready?"

The whole family gathered around behind Reba as she took a deep breath, carefully slicing into the cake with her eyes closed. She didn't open them until everybody let out a "Whoo!" of excitement. She opened one eye and then the other when she saw what color the cake was. She smiled and turned to face Brock as he wrapped her up in a hug. The rest of the family joined in and they all held onto each other in a big Hart-Montgomery group hug.

"Are you happy?" Brock whispered into Reba's hair. He could feel her shoulders shaking and he realized she was crying. For once in his life, he was glad about that. For these were happy tears. The best kind.

She looked up at him and nodded. "I am. Are you?"

"Of course I am." He looked at his family. "What do y'all think?"

Van spoke first. "Five bucks the kid'll have red hair like Mrs. H."

Brock rolled his eyes. "Whatever color the hair is, she'll be beautiful." He looked at Reba who still had tears in her eyes. "Just like her mama."

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><p><em><strong>What did y'all think the baby would be? I hope none of you guessed it. I wanted it to be a surprise. ;D Please review!<strong>_


	12. Chapter 12

Brock's after-work smile caused Reba to question his day. He came in the house a quarter after five with a beaming grin on his face and promptly went into what he was so happy about.

"You'll never guess who called me today."

Reba looked up from the dinner she was preparing. "Who?"

"You remember Harry, right?"

"Your dentist buddy? I thought he was in prison."

"He got out on good behavior. But that's not the point. He's going back into business for himself and he wants me to kind of partner with him."

"Really?"

"Yeah. I think it'll be really good for us. But there's a catch."

Reba nodded. "There always is. What is it?"

"We'd have to move to Boston."

Reba stopped stirring what was on the stove and turned her full attention to Brock.

"Excuse me?"

Brock sat down at the counter, grabbing the stack of mail beside him and beginning to go through it.

"Yeah, that's the clincher. But would it really be that bad?" He tossed the mail beside. "Wouldn't you like a change of pace? Change of scenery?"

"Brock, I don't want to uproot Jake. He's in high school and loving it. He's actually pulling up his grades and starting to really get into football. Plus, there's Elizabeth and Kasey. I don't want to be away from them and Cheyenne. And what about Kyra. She's in Dallas. What if something happens to her and I'm not here?"

"There's a lot to think about, I understand that. But this could be a chance to finally get up there on the ladder."

"Brock, you've always made good money."

"Yeah, but why stop there, you know?"

Reba rolled her eyes, going back to preparing dinner.

"But why Boston?"

"Harry wants to get away from Texas. His name's ruined."

"Well, that's his own dadgum fault."

""Will you just come to Boston with me and check out the building? Maybe look at some houses?"

"Gosh, Brock, I don't know. Should I really be traveling?"

"We'll ask your doctor if it'd be okay. Of course, if we decide to do this, we'll need to do it before the baby's born or we'll never get up there."

"But I kind of wanted to raise the baby here in Houston." She looked up at him. "All the other kids grew up here, in this house. I don't want her to feel left out."

"She'll be unique. She'll like it." He sighed. "Just think about it?"

After a moment of debating, she looked at Brock's happy face. She knew he wanted to try something new and who was she to deny him of just checking it out?

"Alright. I'll go. But I'm not making any decisions yet."

"Yes! I promise you, Reba. This is gonna be good."

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><p>"This whole town is enormous."<p>

"And cold."

Reba and Brock drove into downtown Boston in the car they rented at the airport. Reba's doctor had given her the go-ahead to take the short trip, but warned her not to overdo it. She was a borderline high-risk pregnancy and no one wanted to take any chances. Brock was all but carrying her everywhere.

"It warms up in the summer," Brock told her. "But isn't in beautiful?"

Reba looked out her frosted window and nodded. "It really is."

"Wouldn't you love to live here?"

Reba turned to Brock. "I thought we agreed not to talk about that while we were here."

"Sorry. I'm just excited."

Reba patted his knee. "I know you are."

She looked at all the snow on top of the buildings and roads and realized how different this wintry wonderland was from Texas. Could she possibly adjust to such a big change? She'd had a hard enough time getting used to Texas after she moved there from Oklahoma with Brock. Texas was closer to her mama and daddy and her children. Boston was so new and foreign.

Before long, Brock pulled up to a large building and parked the car in a large lot that was already filled up with people's vehicles.

"Floor number eleven," He said, opening his door. "You comin'?"

Reba nodded, opening her own door and adjusting her coat around herself. When she began walking, Brock wrapped his arm around her to keep her warm, as he knew she didn't like the cold all that much. And all she needed was to get sick.

The two entered the lobby and headed straight for the elevators which took them up to the eleventh floor. When the elevator dinged and the doors opened, they were greeted with a long hallway with several doors on either side.

"Do you know which one is Harry's office?" Reba asked.

Brock nodded. "About halfway down."

The two began walking and a moment later, a door opened and a middle aged man who was very similar to Brock stepped into the hall. He had blonde hair and walked a bit hunched over. He was older than the two of them, but from what Reba had heard, he kept everyone on their toes. When he wasn't in jail, that is.

"Brock, buddy, how ya doin'?" Harry asked when he spotted the two of them walking down the hall.

"Just fine," Brock told him when they were all face to face. "You're lookin' good."

Harry looked at Reba. "If there's anyone looking good here, it's her. Reba, how are you?"

Reba leaned into the hug that Harry initiated and said, "I'm great, Harry, how are you?"

He shrugged. "I've been worse, so I'd say I'm good."

Brock laughed. "Well, whaddya say we all go in and look at the office?"

"Sounds good."

The two men turned to go in, but Reba caught Brock's arm. "I'm gonna go find a bathroom, alright?"

"Down the hall, turn right. You'll see it."

Reba thanked Harry for speaking up and she took off down the hall while the two college buddies entered the office, slapping each other on the back like men do. She just sighed and kept walking. She didn't necessarily want Brock to get along with Harry so well. She wasn't keen on moving here, so if he was really having a big time with his old friend, he'd be more inclined to pack up and move east.

She wasn't quite to the point in her pregnancy where she waddled more than walked, but she could tell she was getting a bit more winded nowadays as she walked along the hall. Running a hand over her growing belly, she slowed down as a door on the right opened. Prepared to move out of the way for whoever was about to exit, she took a step to the left, but stopped completely when she realized who it was.

"Reba?"

"Jack?"

Dr. Morgan shut the door he had just come out of and stood before her. That's when she noticed the nameplate beside the door. It was his office.

"Never in a million years would I have thought I'd run into you here, of all places."

"Yeah. Crazy, huh?"

He nodded, running a hand through his hair. "It's been almost a year since we last seen each other." He gestured towards her. "You look great."

"Thanks. A lot of things changed this past year."

"I guess so." He paused before asking. "So, you're married?"

"I'm in a very stable relationship."

"That's good. And you're pregnant."

"Yes."

"Congratulations."

"Thank you. So, what's new with you?"

He turned to the door and held his hands out. "Ta-dah. New office last month. That's about it." He turned back towards her. "I live a very simple, boring life."

She tried to smile. "Sometimes those are the best."

"Yeah. So, what are you in town for? Vacation?"

"Work thing. Brock's thinking about partnering up with his buddy and his dental practice."

"Oh. Well, I hope that works out for you." When Reba did nothing but nod, Jack shoved his hands into his pockets. "Well, I better get going. Um...it was good seeing you."

"Good seeing you, too, Jack."

He looked into her eyes as she said his name and she could see that he was truly lonely. It was a sad thing to identify, and part of her wished he hadn't looked at her so intently. Her heart did ache for him and she really did hope he would find somebody special, but it just couldn't be her.

"In case we don't see each other again," He said slowly. "I do want to apologize for being such a big jerk."

"Apology accepted. And I'm sorry for not calling you. I could have and probably should have."

"Hey, you have nothing to apologize for." He smiled a little bit. "I really hope you're happy."

She smiled and nodded. "I really am."

He stopped a moment before stepping forward and putting his arms around her for a hug. She wrapped her arms around his neck and patted his back, letting him know that this was just a friendly gesture. When the baby started moving around and kicking was when he backed away. Reba guessed he had felt it and freaked out.

"Was that..."

Reba nodded, placing her hand where she felt her little girl moving. "She just woke up, I betcha."

"That's really weird. Cheryl and I never had kids, so I never got to experience that." He smiled sadly. "I know she'll be just as beautiful as you when she grows up."

"Thanks, Jack. And don't give up on finding someone, alright?"

He nodded and she patted his shoulder. "I should get going before they think I got lost."

They shared a laugh before Jack agreed.

"Alright. I'll uh, see you la- Um...bye."

She nodded and softly told him goodbye before quickly walking away and around the corner as Jack headed for the elevator. It hurt her to have to say goodbye to him for good. He really was a good guy. But she'd have to tell Brock about him. There was no way those two could work so closely together and not realize it. Brock would find out and the two might quarrel. It was obvious Jack wasn't over her, and she didn't want anything or anyone jeopardizing her relationship with Brock. Not this time. But she wondered how Brock would respond. She knew how much he wanted Boston.

**_To Be Continued..._**

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><p><em><strong>I hope you all enjoyed Red Light! Look for the next story in the series within the next couple of days. Review. ((:<strong>_


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